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20070912020579A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · Fort Stockton, TX · September 12, 2007

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 12, 2007 · 14:20 local
Place
Fort Stockton, TX
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N993KC
NTSB investigation
NTSBDFW07LA197
Reported as
Robsin R22BETA
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
13,967 total3,428 in this make and model31 in the last 90 days
N993KCRegistration cancelled Mar 16, 2018 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 2926 · Built 1999Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETAEngine modelLycoming O&VO-360 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On September 12, 2007, at approximately 1420 CDT, the pilot privacy data omitted experienced an increase in engine RPM immediately followed by a decrease in main rotor RPM below 80%, in N993KC, a Robinson R-22 helicopter, manufactured in 1999. The helicopter struck the ground in a field approximately 3.3 east of fm 1776 and 2 miles north of highway 235, approximately 12 miles northwest of Fort Stockton, Texas. The right skid apparently impacted the ground first causing it to shatter. The left skid was also damaged leaving the helicopter resting flat on the ground in an upright position. The fuselage was destroyed. An investigation of the helicopter indicated one of the v-belts had separated which caused the other remaining belt to slip off the upper spindle. This apparently caused a rapid decrease in rotor RPM, with insufficient altitude to recover. The pilot was seriously injured with a broken vertebrae and broken ribs. He was air lifted to odessa medical center, where he remained for about three days. The passenger received minor injuries. He was transported to a local hospital and later released.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2007, AT APPROXIMATELY 1420 CDT, THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ EXPERIENCED AN INCREASE IN ENGINE RPM IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A DECREASE IN MAIN ROTOR RPM BELOW 80%, IN N993KC, A ROBINSON R-22 HELICOPTER, MANUFACTURED IN 1999. THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE GROUND IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 3.3 EAST OF FM 1776 AND 2 MILES NORTH OF HIGHWAY 235, APPROXIMATELY 12 MILES NORTHWEST OF FORT STOCKTON, TEXAS. THE RIGHT SKID APPARENTLY IMPACTED THE GROUND FIRST CAUSING IT TO SHATTER. THE LEFT SKID WAS ALSO DAMAGED LEAVING THE HELICOPTER RESTING FLAT ON THE GROUND IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. THE FUSELAGE WAS DESTROYED. AN INVESTIGATION OF THE HELICOPTER INDICATED ONE OF THE V-BELTS HAD SEPARATED WHICH CAUSED THE OTHER REMAINING BELT TO SLIP OFF THE UPPER SPINDLE. THIS APPARENTLY CAUSED A RAPID DECREASE IN ROTOR RPM, WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO RECOVER. THE PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED WITH A BROKEN VERTEBRAE AND BROKEN RIBS. HE WAS AIR LIFTED TO ODESSA MEDICAL CENTER, WHERE HE REMAINED FOR ABOUT THREE DAYS. THE PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL AND LATER RELEASED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DFW07LA197Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportFort Stockton, TXThe failure of the v-belt drive system to the main rotor for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was insufficient altitude to perform a successful autorotation.Sep 12, 2007 · Substantial damage